Taiwan approves night shift hazard pay for Coast Guard personnel

台灣批准發給海巡人員深夜危勞津貼

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Coast Guard Administration announced Tuesday that personnel assigned to night shifts are now eligible for a hazardous duty allowance of NT$100 (US$3.40) per hour.

The Coast Guard said the policy aims to recognize the physically demanding and high-risk conditions faced by officers working overnight shifts, often in harsh weather and under increasing security pressures. The allowance applies to members of the Fleet Branch’s Coast Guard teams and the Investigation Branch’s special task force, according to CNA.

To qualify, personnel must be engaged in active duty outside their bases between midnight and 6 a.m., without the opportunity to rest on-site. Duties include maritime patrols, rescue missions, and other operations requiring deployment at sea during overnight hours.

The Coast Guard added that the move also responds to increasing security challenges, particularly those arising from China’s growing use of maritime gray zone tactics. They are defined as “an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one’s security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force.”

The administration noted that specific allowance regulations may vary depending on personnel status, in accordance with applicable laws.

The new measure builds on a broader policy introduced by the Cabinet on June 1 last year, which provides a similar NT$100 hourly allowance to other frontline workers. Eligible recipients include police officers, firefighters, immigration officers, and members of the National Airborne Service Corps who carry out overnight duties away from their stations, such as patrols, disaster relief, and aerial operations., according to CTEE.

The Cabinet approved the Coast Guard’s version of the allowance on June 30.